This does not have to be this hard, but here we are. With training camp underway, every NFL franchise should have some semblance of optimism heading into the new season. For whatever reason, the ownership of the Dallas Cowboys would rather make it about themselves once again when it comes to Micah Parsons' contract extension. He is entering his fifth-year option season out of Penn State.
So far this offseason, Parsons has seen other star pass rushers such as Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett and most recently T.J. Watt all get paid handsomely. Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals still needs to get his, but you should be catching the drift here. Parsons is the youngest of the five pass rushers of note, or with the least amount of NFL experience. He still has not received a new contract.
What do we do here? Leave it up to Stephen Jones! The Cowboys' executive vice president and son of owner Jerry Jones wanted to remind everyone that the Cowboys are not changing their stance on Parsons. He does not care of rabid Cowboys fans are yelling about Parsons' contract. "It doesn't change anything. We want to pay Micah, too. He's gotta want to be paid." That last part is infuriating.
What have the Cowboys does as a franchise in the last quarter century to have this kind of audacity?
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on the fans yelling to pay Micah Parsons: “It doesn’t change anything. We want to pay Micah too. He’s gotta want to be paid.” pic.twitter.com/spJn9leRQV
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 27, 2025
Just because Parsons was drafted by the team does not mean he has any long-term loyalty there.
Stephen Jones puts his foot in his mouth over Micah Parsons contract
Even though the Cowboys get the most undeserved media coverage in the NFL, they still have the game's biggest fanbase for some reason. While that may not be changing any time soon, players are smarter than they have ever been. It may have been a dream to play for the Cowboys growing up, but their bad reputation for how they go about negotiating contracts has gotten out. They are not a fan...
Parsons should be a no-brainer candidate to get an extension. The Cowboys foolishly missed the boat with Crosby, Garrett and Watt all getting extended before him. While they could easily beat Hendrickson and the Bengals to the punch, Dallas has to come to grips that Parsons is going to reset the market once again with his new contract. Either the Cowboys pay him that or someone else will.
In the end, this is a poor way of doing business. Decadence has become gospel in Big D. If not for their popularity and success from generations ago, where would they be now? Regardless, we have seen many proud franchises across sports deteriorate over the years due to questionable ownership practices. Dallas must stop being petty and pay Parsons before he becomes even more expensive.
This contract negotiation has become personal to Parsons because The Joneses have made it such.